A project looking at how to convert sewage into hydrogen to help cut environmental pollutants has been granted six-figure funding.
The HyValue project, which aims to turn the methane derived from sewage sludge into hydrogen while also collecting carbon dioxide, received £267,954 via the £200m Oftwat Innovation Fund.
It is being led by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water in partnership with the University of South Wales (USW) and engineering company Costain.
The three partners said projections show the process could help cut the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by up to 90 percent.
The project also aims to further create hydrogen from sewage as an alternative to diesel engine transport, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, nitrous oxide and other pollutants.
Aside from environmental benefits, the partners will also look to demonstrate how the process can offer value for money. If successful, a sewage gas conversion plant will be designed at one of Welsh Water’s anaerobic digestion facilities.
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Jon Maddy, director of the University of South Wales’ Hydrogen R&D Centre at Baglan, said: “The Water Industry has adopted anaerobic digestion as an effective waste treatment process and source of recovered energy in the form of methane.
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“The HyValue project takes the approach a step further by investigating the generation of hydrogen to be used as a clean fuel and capturing the CO2, with the potential to use this in the production of valuable chemicals.”
Ben Burggraaf, head of energy at Welsh Water, said: “HyValue is a major stepping stone towards the industry becoming the bio-refineries of the new zero future, in which hydrogen will play a major role.”
He added: “The project enables the industry to maximise the financial and environmental value that can be extracted from sewage sludge, on behalf of its customers.”